The Swiss Radio and Television Company (SRG) wants to turn off all FM antennas at the end of this year. There are only a few FM radios in use in Switzerland and the maintenance of FM antennas is expensive and disproportionate. SRG radio programs can still be received via DAB+ and the Internet, It is said in a statement,
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SRG points out that the advantage of DAB+ is that there are more stations than FM and they can be broadcast more widely. The publicly funded broadcasting group supplies Switzerland with around 260 DAB+ antennas, while it currently operates around 850 FM transmitters. According to the Swiss Federal Office of Communications, around 20 percent of Swiss people still only use FM radio.
The statement continues that new vehicles are usually already equipped with DAB+ radios as standard. In the EU, new cars with radio receivers must have DAB+ receiver units installed – one of the main user groups of terrestrial broadcasting. The automotive industry, which has to comply with EU regulations, also supplies cars to Switzerland on a large scale. For older FM models, SRG recommends an adapter for the AUX/IN connection if available. You can do the same thing with older stereo systems.
DAB+ radios from 100 francs
Swiss consumer protection sees it differently when it comes to classic home radios. “For small and simple home radios, retrofitting is usually no longer worthwhile. Simple DAB+ radios are available for less than 100 francs” (103 euros), The Consumer Advocates website says. It is also possible to listen to radio via TV cable at home, for example for those who have a connection to the provider UPC.
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In the autumn of 2020, in response to the end of FM in Switzerland, members of the responsible Digital Migration Working Group (DigIMIG) agreed to shut down SRF’s FM transmitters in August 2022. In August 2021, the date was pushed back to the originally planned date of December 31, 2024. In October 2023 The Swiss Federal Council was expanded VHF licences last, i.e. at the end of 2026.
Swiss media entrepreneur and presenter Roger Schwawinski complainswithout much need there will soon be a black hole for FM in the center of Europe, especially since Austria, Italy and France are lagging behind in DAB+. Digimig is a “PR organization of DAB promoters”. In Germany, Schleswig-Holstein is the first federal state to plan to say goodbye to analog terrestrial radio reception. VHF frequencies there will be switched off from mid-2025.
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